Need of an air purifier for a healthy and germ-free home - Dr. Abhay Kumar, Chief Scientific Officer, Eureka Forbes Institute of Environment

New Delhi, Feb. 10 -- The war for clean air has been heating up all over the country in the recent past. While the problem of rising air pollution remains to be one of the most crucial health concerns in India, it is only recently, with the series of chaos and debates that it has finally dawned upon us about the ill-effects of polluted air. Though people are now recognizing that both outdoor and indoor air pollution is hazardous to the physical, mental and emotional well being of any person, one of the pertinent issues prevailing in the country is the lack of awareness among people about the availability of right air purification technology.
With the drop in temperature due to winters,a host of airborne pollen and household allergens have a way of finding their way indoors during this season causing infections and diseases. In addition to pollen, closed and unventilated homes can breed dust mites, molds, pet dander and other household irritants. Since, in our regular hectic lifestyles where we cannot afford to fall ill or have long sick days it is vital to breathe the right quality of air indoors. Therefore, air purifiers have now become a need for a healthy living. Also, since the market is flooded with a variety of air purifiers, it has become equally important to select the right one that ensures the air you breathe is healthy and safe.
One can follow the below mentioned basic tips and examine a few things while making a choice to keep your home healthy and germ-free.
* Emphasize on the filters: Check the specification of the air purifier to see whether it has a Swiss HEPATM (high efficiency particulate air) filter that are highly efficient and capable of removing up to 99.97% of micro particles. There are many products in the market which say HEPA-like filters, avoid buying those.
* Choose an air purifier that is patented with Duotron technology that actively reduces the growth of viruses and bacteria in the air, outside of the air purifier
* Size of the room: There is no one-size-fits-all technology. Note the size of the room in which you wish to install the air purifier. There are different air purifiers with different sizes available in the market for different room size
* Certified for the highest standards of air quality:Choose products that are certified by the world renowned German 'gui-Lab' and are powered by Activeshield x 2 Filtration System with ultra-precision purification that has double the efficiency of purifiers in its class to eliminate sub-micron respirable particles and infection-carrying microbes in the air
* Check for Pre-filter: Indian conditions are such that the air has heavy particulate matter, hence the air purifier needs to have a pre-filter that removes the large particles, such as dust, hair, pet dander and fibers
* Active Carbon Filter: The granular activated carbon binds gases and odours of natural and chemical origin. This filtration stage is effective in reducing tobacco smoke and cooking smells and removing VOC's ( Volatile Organic Chemicals)
* Avoid buying ozone emitting devices: Stay away from any technology in a purifier that emits ozone. According to EPA, (US Environmental Protection Agency), even relatively low amounts of ozone can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and throat irritation. It states that ozone air purifiers can be hazardous to health
To examine and select an air purifier you need to be well aware of all its latest features and trends. From children to aged people, everyone is entitled to BREATHE IN THE BETTER FUTURE!